Return to School Enhanced Safety Measures

Thank you for your understanding with the delayed start to the school year.  We hope you are all well and were able to enjoy the holiday.

Staff have used this week to meet and understand the enhanced safety measures.   

New or Returning Practices for January 10th

• Maximize space between children and adults through different space configurations.  Limit, and whenever possible, avoid face to face seating arrangements.
• Implement strategies that prevent crowding during class time, recess, and lunch break.
• Conduct gatherings and events virtually.  
• All visitors to the building will be limited to those working with students directly on student learning.  As a result, we must ‘press pause’ on the following important parts of our school:

1. Parent volunteers, other than our fantastic noon hour supervisors
2. Engaging in PAC ‘in-school’ activities such as popcorn days and hot lunches
3. Field trips that involve busses and involve student interactions with those outside their daily school bubble.

Some Practices to Continue Our Commitment to:

• Daily Health Checks to ensure our students are well when they come to school  
• Hand Hygiene (see poster below)
• Mask wearing in all indoor spaces.
• Limiting physical contact.
• Use of physical barriers for small group teaching.
• Essential visitors are welcome by appointment.
• Staggered arrival times and dismissal times.
• Staggered lunch and recess play times.

With the full return to school next week, we wish to remind families of the importance of Daily Health checks with their children. We ask that families keep children at home with any signs of illness including sniffles. We also ask that families understand and have a plan for picking up children promptly if children become ill at school.

With the increased transmissibility of Omicron, proper mask wearing is an important layer of protection along with physical distancing and staying home when ill. Dr.Bonnie Henry has explained that the best mask is one that is worn properly and consistently, has three layers and fits well over the mouth and nose with no gaps. Please send your child to school with a well-fitted mask that covers the mouth and nose, and several back up masks in their backpack. Please help your child understand the importance of wearing their mask properly.

If you have requested a mask exemption for your child to the Provincial Face Covering Order, requiring all K-12 students to wear face coverings (masks) in schools and on buses, we kindly ask you to re-evaluate your decision. While we respect that you have requested a mask exemption, we humbly request that you consider the following alternatives:

• explore a different type of face covering
• examine options regarding limiting mask use to certain activities
• explore opportunities to reinforce and enhance other safety measures including physical distancing

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  We look forward to seeing your children on Monday, January 10, 2022.

Cathy Erickson, Principal

Cathy.erickson [at] abbyschools.ca